Chicago Cubs: Looking back at some awkward homecomings

Chicago Cubs: Plenty of fan-favorites on the North Side have gone on to play for other teams over the years, and their returns to Wrigley Field can get mixed reactions.

Chicago Cubs fans certainly do not forget their hometown heroes, even after they have left. In recent years we have seen the likes of Jake Arrieta, Starlin Castro and Dexter Fowler return to Wrigley Field in an opposing uniform for the first time to a standing ovation. Who could forget 2009 when Kerry Wood returned in an Indians uniform to a roaring ovation?

Unfortunately, not all homecomings have been warm and fuzzy at Wrigley Field. Some former fan-favorites have returned to Wrigley only to get greeted by either boo’s, mixed reactions or just a lukewarm reaction as a whole.

The reasons for these not-so-friendly reactions vary, but this has happened multiple times over the past several decades for players who were once very important to the Cubs. This is what we will explore in this piece.

Here are some memorable homecomings for former Cubs heroes that were not initially given a hero’s welcome.

Chicago Cubs: The mishandling of Greg Maddux is one of the biggest blunders in franchise history

It was Opening Day, 1993 at Wrigley Field against the Atlanta Braves. Before the season had started, Cubs fans were already heartbroken after former ace and 1992 NL Cy Young winner Greg Maddux signed a five-year, $28 million deal with the Braves in the offseason. To pour salt into the wound, it would be Maddux to face the Cubs at Wrigley on Opening Day.

Wrigley greeted their former ace with a spat of boos and hisses. They had felt betrayed that someone who did so much for them and loved Chicago would just bolt to Atlanta. Signs around the ballpark made by fans would read, “Greg Who?”

It even got so ridiculous that a fan who snagged a foul ball off Maddux’s bat immediately threw it back on the field and was cheered loudly for doing so. Seemed fitting, Maddux would shutout the Cubs as the Braves went on to win 1-0.

The crowd did not faze Maddux, and he would go on and pitch to a 2.63 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 2.95 FIP in 363 starts (11 seasons) as an Atlanta Brave before returning to the Cubs in 2004.

It is sad because Maddux got the heat for the Cubs mishandling of re-signing the future Hall of Famer. The Cubs had an “okay” offer for him, and Atlanta swooped in with a better one, and the Cubs did not counter. When they finally did get him back in 2004, he was nearly 40. His best years were behind him.

Today, the name and number of Greg Maddux hangs on the Wrigley Field flag pole, and it is nearly impossible to find a Cubs fan who does not love Maddux. He gave the Cubs many good seasons and always expressed his love for the city and fans. Hard feelings, as they should be, are long gone.

Chicago Cubs: Hard feelings all around for a guy who was vital in the Cubs 2016 World Series win

After hitting the unbelievable grand slam in the NLCS and driving in the final winning run in the World Series clincher, Miguel Montero’s tenure as a Cub all fell apart the following season. The drama began to form between him and his teammates, which escalated with him calling out Jake Arrieta’s performance and Anthony Rizzo calling his act “selfish” on ESPN 1000. Montero would be DFAed and then get dealt with the Toronto Blue Jays for cash in early July.

This was not the end of this story. On August 18 the Cubs would begin a three-game set with the Blue Jays at Wrigley Field with Montero returning to his former home. In the first inning, after the Jays scored a run, Montero came to the plate, and boos began to come down on the former World Series hero. Some could argue a few of those boos from Cubs fans were directed at the thousands of Jays fans chanting “Let’s go Blue Jays!” after they had just scored, but certainly a chunk of that was directed at Montero.

It was such a sour ending to his story in Chicago, which he frankly did not help himself out with, but seeing as he was such a big part of that great run, it was still tough to hear the boos. Even after he was rid of by the team, Montero again thanked the Cubs and fans for his time in Chicago.

Luckily today, it seems the hard feelings have been overall mended between his former teammates and the fans as he has been welcomed back at Cubs Convention. Let it be water under the bridge.

There are likely other occasions former players returning to Wrigley were greeting no-so-nicely, but these stand out. This kind of story could make one wonder what it would have been like if the 2005 Orioles came to Wrigley Field with Sammy Sosa. We will never know.